- Friendly, informative instructors who stay with your group for the duration of your tour
- Inquiry-based, hands-on activities that are age appropriate and geared to your students level of knowledge
- Flexible starting times to allow for busing schedules and travel time - our instructors greet you at the bus
- A wagon ride around our fields - see the scope of farming and how it differs from the backyard garden
- An opportunity to choose service learning in our Giving Garden
- Playtime in our Barnyard Adventure playground
- Free access to our online educational video program - Lessons from the Farm
- Indoor washrooms (when it’s not freezing outside) along with portable washrooms available spring to December
We offer 2, 3, and 4-hour tours. Starting times for our tours are flexible to allow for bus schedules and travel times. We start when you arrive.
Our Farm Educators greet you at the bus and stay with you for the entire duration of your tour.
Our farm is small and is not structured to allow groups to remain on the farm unsupervised after their scheduled tour time is over.
- The farm offers both indoor (as long as it’s not freezing out) and portable washroom facilities.
- Handwashing is a health and safety priority on the farm. Handwashing and sanitization stations are set up throughout the farm.
- Please consult your health and safety fact sheet in your confirmation package.
- The farm has one accessible portable toilet. We also have a private room for diaper changes.
A supervised lunch break is scheduled into all of our tours for 3 hours or more in duration. We try to accommodate the children’s usual daily schedule for a lunch break. Please inform your farm instructor of any particular preference for lunchtime at the beginning of your tour.
Time on the farm passes quickly and there are lots of things to do. We do not schedule breaks for snack time. If your group would like a snack time, please inform your Farm Educator upon your arrival.
If necessary, students can pack a small snack in their pocket that they can easily consume. Please be aware that we may not be able to complete all the activities available if time for a snack is requested.
We ask that you bring litter-less lunches and have all waste from lunch/snacks taken back home. It is a good exercise for the children and may already be a policy you have in place.
Students/Campers will be provided a central spot to leave their lunches and backpacks while they tour the farm.
Exploring our farm market is an interesting component of our tour program. This provides an opportunity for students to see the complete cycle of farming from field to market and discuss the vital economic importance of local farms in our communities. Age-relevant lessons will take place in the market.
Hot coffee, apple cider, snacks, freshly baked pies, and treats are available for sale as well as our own and other locally grown produce.
Freshly baked pies are available by special order at the start of your tour or by ordering via email the day before. They can then be picked up warm from the oven just before departure. Ask your Farm Educator for the current day’s selection.
Our Farm Educators greet you at the bus and stay with you and your class for the full duration of your tour here at the farm. We feel that it is important to develop a connection with the children for an optimal learning experience.
For adequate supervision, we allow 1 adult free for every 5 students. Educators/Staff are included in this ratio. Adults attending with children who have special needs are free.
Parent volunteers are welcome to join the tour. For the health and safety of the children, we discourage parents from bringing their child's younger siblings.
Additional adults above the listed ratio will be charged the tour price.
We strive to be accessible. Caution is needed in some areas where the terrain is uneven. Our play area and buildings are wheelchair accessible but our wagon ride is not. Call us if you have any concerns regarding accessibility. 905-887-1086.
We here at Forsythe Family Farms 2009 Inc. are committed to excellence in serving all customers including people with disabilities.
- Completing the online request form is the fastest way to contact us regarding booking a tour.
- Emailing us at forsythefamilyfarmtours@gmail.com
At the time of booking please be prepared to provide the following detail
- Choice of primary and secondary date
- Time of tour. (Please keep in mind transportation time and school routines)
- Contact Person’s contact details; name, email address and mobile phone number
- Office administrators (if they are dealing with the invoice) contact details; name, email and telephone number
- Estimated number of students attending, number of classes and accompanying teachers. Please refer to our student/adult ratio policy.
- Any special needs we may need to be aware of.
Your tour will be confirmed once you sign and return your confirmation form along with the requested deposit.
If for any reason you need to cancel your tour, written notice of cancellation must be received by us no less than 2 weeks before your tour date. This will enable you to use your deposit towards rescheduling another date within the current school year. The more notice you give us the better able we will be to accommodate your needs. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to reschedule during busy times.
If a program or a tour is canceled by Forsythe Family Farms 2009 Inc., for any reason, then any and all monies, including the deposit shall be refunded, in full without any deductions, to you and you shall be released from any other obligations.
Forsythe Family Farms 2009 Inc. may also cancel on reasonable notice without liability either for cause or where it is unable to deliver a program or a tour because of a strike, flood, fire, force majeure, or Act of God (“Force Majeure”). If a “Force Majeure” results in Forsythe Family Farms 2009 Inc. having to terminate the tour, or cancel the program, or delay the program or the tour and such delay is unacceptable to you for whatever reason, you shall be entitled to the return of all monies, including the deposit, previously paid by you, in full without any deductions, and shall be released from any other obligations.
Most of our tour activities are mostly outdoors regardless of the weather. We adjust our activities in the event of bad weather keeping in mind the safety of the children.
We have some sheltered areas for lunch and activities. Shady areas are used when the weather is hot.
Please remember that in all seasons it can be cooler, muddier, and windier on the farm due to the open spaces and lack of pavement.
Insects are a natural presence on the farm and the use of insect repellant is suggested during the summer months.
Please have your students dress appropriately for the current weather conditions.
Tours can be paid for by:
- Cheque: Payable to Forsythe Family Farms 2009 Inc. Mail to 1025 Cragg Rd., Uxbridge, Ontario L9P 1R3
- E-mail Fund Transfer: Forsythefamilyfarms@gmail.com
- cash, cheque, or debit in person when on the farm
A deposit equal to our minimum charge of 20 students is required to confirm your booking. Purchase orders are acceptable as deposits from preapproved organizations. An electronic copy of your invoice will be sent to the appropriate person dealing with the purchase order.
Invoices will be issued on the day of your tour for the number of participants attending. Final payment for your tour is appreciated on the day of the tour.
Final payment by cheque, debit, EFT, or cash is preferred. To keep our tour costs reasonable we do not accept credit cards as a form of payment.